When you initially think about moving house, there’s a good chance you think the day will be highly stressful and expensive. You may be right about the big move being stressful – indeed Mortgage Strategy reports that Brits find moving house the most stressful event that can occur in life.
While moving may be a headache, it doesn’t necessarily need to be expensive. There are many tips and tricks you can use to cut costs for your big move, many of which you can read here.
So, from smart packing to concise planning, here are 10 surprising ways you can save money when you move to a new home.
1. Declutter your home and get rid of things you no longer need
Moving house is the perfect excuse to get rid of things you don’t need anymore. Understandably, it can sometimes be tricky to part ways with some of your possessions.
So, you may want to follow the interesting 20/20 decluttering rule; you can realistically afford to get rid of anything you can replace for £20 in under 20 minutes.
When you’ve successfully decluttered, you can sell anything you don’t need online – the Facebook Marketplace, for example, is a great place to sell second-hand items.
Or, if you would rather donate them, you can check if there are any local charity shops in need, or you could try listing it on a free swapping community.
Less clutter means fewer trips to and from your new property – especially if you’re not hiring a removal company, as it’ll save you money on petrol.
2. Get a little help from your friends
Speaking of avoiding removal companies, one brilliant way you could potentially save money on your big move could be to rope your friends and family into helping you.
After all, charges from a removal company can be significant – Compare My Move states that, in 2022, the average cost for a removal company to clear a three-bedroom house was £806.
Even if they just help you shift some of your heaviest items, this could save you a fortune on removal costs. Just make sure you keep them well-plied with tea and biscuits.
3. Research your removal company thoroughly
Moving house can get busy and stressful, so you may think that using a removal company is a necessity on the day.
This is perfectly understandable, though if you plan on using a removal company you shouldn’t jump the gun and hire the first company you find. You should instead research and compare the different companies on offer to ensure you get the best deal.
Ideally, you should compare the rates each company offers, whether they provide decent levels of insurance on your valuables, and, if you’re moving locally, see if they can offer a fixed-rate quote for the removal.
4. Be smart about your packing
By giving your move a bit of forethought, you could manage to save money before you’ve even started packing.
If you manage to acquire any boxes and packaging materials from innovative sources, you could make a saving. Your local supermarket may be keen to get rid of some old boxes for free, or some people online may be willing to part with them for nothing, rather than throwing them out.
Being creative with your packaging materials is always prudent too – old dish towels and sheets are just as good at protecting your valuables as bubble wrap.
5. Try to find a deal on new furniture
If you want to give your new home a fresh look with some additional furniture, you could find a good deal for second-hand furniture rather than buying it brand-new.
Free swapping websites and online communities, such as Freecycle, often have free furniture available for a good home. As well as saving you money, saving used furniture from going to the skip also helps the environment by cutting waste.
6. Inform the government you’ve moved by registering to vote
Registering to vote is another, albeit less direct and longer-term, way to save money when you move house.
Getting on the electoral roll can boost your credit score, by as much as 50 points, according to Experian, which can make future borrowing easier. So, ensure you inform the council that you’ve relocated as soon as you move.
7. Challenge your Council Tax band
The current Council Tax bands were set in 1991, so have you ever considered that you could be paying more Council Tax on your property than you should be?
Indeed, Money Saving Expert states that hundreds of thousands of homes are in the wrong council tax band, and successfully challenging your band could net you between a £100 and £400 yearly saving.
Also, you can only formally challenge your Council Tax band if you’ve lived in the property for six months or less, so you should think about doing this immediately.
8. Give the house a once-over when you move in
A bit of preventative maintenance can go a long way in saving you money further down the line. When you first move into your new home, you may want to search for any minor, easily sorted issues that could eventually cost you money.
While things like blocked gutters, leaky taps, or damp patches on walls may seem like reasonably insignificant problems, they can quickly snowball if left unattended.
Think of it like a routine health check – you’re simply preparing for the worst.
9. Time is money, so plan everything out to a T
Before the big moving day, you should ideally ensure that you’ve planned the day out thoroughly. Some of the essential things you should consider include:
- Labelling all of your boxes with their contents and to which rooms they’re going
- Move furniture to your new home before shifting anything else
- Keep screws and fittings for your furniture safe and separate from everything else so you don’t lose them
- Make sure all your paperwork is in order before the day
- And, most importantly, pack the kettle away after everything else.
Planning out all of this, and more, could save you money in the long run and alleviate some of the stress that often comes with moving.
10. Choose the moving day wisely
Another vital factor to consider, especially if you’re hiring a removal company, should be to choose your moving day sensibly.
Some removal companies may offer cheaper services on particular days, such as the middle of the week, and could hike prices on bank holidays.
Research from Compare My Move shows that Sunday is typically the cheapest day to move, while Friday is the most popular. If you can deal with not having the weekend free to relax after your big move, then you could make a saving on moving costs.
Get in touch
Moving home is exciting, though it can often be stressful and costly. If you would like to discuss more ways you could save money for, or budget for long before, the big move, please email enquire@london-money.co.uk or call (0207) 808 4120 to find out more.